Rousey a rousing success so far

By James Gregg, U-T San Diego
| 8:07 p.m.June 19, 2013

Ronda Rousey, in black, faces Liz Carmouche during the main event of UFC 157 at t he Honda Center in Anaheim. Rousey successfully defended her UFC women's bantamweight championship with a first round armbar submission.

Ronda Rousey, in black, faces Liz Carmouche during the main event of UFC 157 at t he Honda Center in Anaheim. Rousey successfully defended her UFC women's bantamweight championship with a first round armbar submission.

Last August, Ronda Rousey was already making noise in the MMA world, but to the mainstream, she was virtually unknown. Since then, she has become the first female to be signed by the UFC, be crowned champion and defend her title. She has become one of the most famous female athletes worldwide.

I caught up with Rousey in Las Vegas on Monday evening, in between filming sessions of “The Ultimate Fighter 18,” which will begin to air in the fall, with Rousey coaching opposite Meisha Tate. Here’s a bit of our conversation.

Q: Our readers were first introduced to you a year ago, before all of this happened. What’s life like for you right now?

A: I don’t know how much I can really say (because the show still hasn’t aired) but it’s just ... chaos. Whatever I’m usually doing is chaos so it’s not that different, but this is chaos with a theme (laughs). Instead of four or five different things (it’s) just all focused on one big theme.

Q: How is your life different than it was last fall?

A: Everything was focused on myself. Now, it’s all focused on the kids that are trusting me to take care of them (on the show). It’s not about me. As a fighter, you have to be selfish because it’s your life on the line, now it’s these kids’ lives on the line, so it takes up all of the free space in my brain. Instead of ‘this, this, this’ for me, it’s ‘this, this, this’ for them.

Q: Are you learning more about yourself as a fighter by being a coach?

A: I’ve always been reactionary as a fighter. I just did it without thinking. I’m learning about the game because I have to articulate it, show it and explain it

Q: Any downtime at all?

A: No. When I’m not here (on the set/gym), on camera, I’m delegating other things for the show. Everything at home I’m coordinating, people are flying out to have meetings because I can’t get there. There’s interviews, appearances ... it’s like every second of the day is productive and at the end there are still important things I’ve missed.

Q: Any room for a personal life?

A: I’m very lucky that my best friend has a similar career and understands what I’m going through. Family? Man, I didn’t get to see my mom for Mother’s Day, my stepdad for Father’s Day. ... Oh ... I didn’t call him yesterday. ... See? Another thing I forgot. No, I don’t have time, and I’m falling behind with all of my family and friends. I feel like I’m not giving them what they deserve, and forget a boyfriend, I’m impossible to personalize with, I think, these days. I’m only operating on a professional capacity right now and we’ll see if that’s a good choice down the line.

Q: How are you adjusting?

A: I’m sure if you go to the circus, it’s an exhausting thing, your ears are ringing and your vision’s blurry when you leave. If you live in the circus, I guess you’re used to seeing the tigers and your ears don’t hurt anymore. I don’t expect a rest, so I don’t mourn for the lack of one.

Q: Are you having any fun?

A: I have my moments. The cool thing about this is there’s no routine. I like the lack of monotony. I live the way I fight, I like to be constantly reacting and improvising.

Q: There have been a lot of rewards along with your success. From the outside, it seems that you have it made. Are you happy with how it’s happened?

A: Yeah! I couldn’t have written it any better. It’s just not the kind of happiness where I can sit back and relax. I have to stay hyper-focused because it’s so hard to maintain and so easy to (foul) up, but it’s exactly what I wanted and that’s why I care so much. I have a long list of goals still.